Paper fastener



2- 8. 1933. F. c. HOUWEN 1,674

PAPER FASTENER Filed Feb. 10, 193-3 l2 l5 4 5 6 /4 A5 N VEN TOR5250521011 C. HOUK/f/V W4 TTORNE Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE PAPER FASTENER Frederick C. Houwen, Morris Plains, N. J.,as-

signor to The Bates ManufacturingCompany, WestOrange, N J .,,aCorporation of New Jersey Application February 10, 1933. Serial No.656,078 10 Claims. (01. 24-453) My invention relates to paper fastenersand more particularly to that type of fastener adapted to clamp orsecure together perforated and superimposed sheets of paper such asthose that make up ordinary correspondence files.

A common form of such a fastener consists of an elongated base orclamping member having spaced bendable fingers or tongues, and a keepercomprising anelongated plate having spaced openings throughwhich thefingers of 1 the clamping member, after being inserted throughperforations in the sheets to be secured together, are designed to bepassed and then bent down over the keeper plate. The keeper may, as iscustomary, also include locking members slidably mounted on said plateand adapted to cooperate with the bent down fingers to hold the same andthereby the clamping member and keeper plate in operative clampingrelation with v respect to the sheets secured thereby. It is tofasteners of this general construction that my invention is especiallydirected, but it is to be understood that certain features thereof areapplicable to fasteners of many different forms.

It is the general purpose of my invention to provide a fastener of thecharacter described which is .of improved, simple and practicable.

construction and also very effective and satisfactory in use. a

One of the principal objects of my invention 1 to provide an improvedconstruction for a fastener keeper plate whereby such plate even thoughformed of comparatively thin sheet metal, will be very strong, rigid andresistant to deformation, especially at the end portions thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved, simple andvery effectiveconstruction for strengthening or reinforcing andincreasing the rigidity of the end portions of the,

described and in which the end portions of the plate are unflared butare of substantially the same width as the intermediate portion.

A still further object of my invention is to provide improved stoppingmeans for limiting the outward movement of the locking members on thekeeper plate.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be hereinafter more'fully described, and the novel features thereof will be set forth inthe claims. i

For a clearer understanding of my invention, attention is directed tothe drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification, in theseveral views of which likeparts are designated by the same referencecharacteraand in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional View showing a plurality of superimposed sheetsof paper secured together by a fastener constituting a'preferredembodiment of my invention, the fastener being shown in elevation partlyinsection;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the fastener in operative assembledcondition, the construction being substantially the same as shown inFigure 1 except for the slide stopping means of the keeper platej Figure3 is a central longitudinal sectional View of the keeper of the fastenershown in Figure 2; and p Figure 4 is a bottom plan view 20f the keepershown in Figures 2'and 3. i r 1 The fastener shown in the drawing isformed of thin sheet metal and comprises a clamping or base memberhaving an elongated substantially rectangular ribbed base portion 1 andbendable but resilient flat fingers or tongues 2jintegrally joined tothe base portion at its ends,jand. a keeper comprising an elongatedplate3 having narrow rectangular openings 4 adjacent its ends through whichthe fingers 2 are adapted respectively, to be passed and then bentinwardlyand downwardly over the plate. The keeper plate 3 has a continuous central rectangular depressed portion 5 extending longitudinallythereof between points which are respectively located a" slight distanceoutwardly of the outer edges of the openings 4. The lateral edgeportions 6 at the opposite sides of the'portion 5 lie in a common planespaced somewhat above the plane of the latter, and conand is joined tothe rails 6 by-vertical walls 8 which act to'reenforce the keeper plate.This channel is adapted to receive the free end portions of the fingerswhen the latter, in applying the fastener to use, are passed through theperforations 9 in the sheets S (see Figure 1) to be secured together andthe openings 4 in the keeper plate and are bent inwardly and downwardlyagainst such plate. The locking members 7 have intermediate or bridgeportions extending across the channel between rails 6 and adapted totake over the bent down free end portions of the fingers 2 to hold thelatter and the keeper plate in operative clamping relation, and endportions 7 which extend over and are bent down under the rails. When thefastener is. in operative clamping relation with respect to the stack ofsuperimposed paper sheets S to be secured thereby, as shown in Figure 1,the bottom surface of the depressed portion 5 of the keeper plate bearsagainst the paper and the rails 6 are spaced somewhat above the same.Accordingly the paper will then in no way interfere with the freemovement of the locking members '7 along the rails.

The depressed portion 5 of the keeper plate 3 terminates a shortdistance outwardly of the openings 4 and is joined by nearly verticalbut slightly outwardly inclined end walls 10 to the end sections of theplate. Each of the said end sections comprises a flat narrow innerportion 11 which is in the same plane as and joins the rails 6, a narrowouter portion 12 which extends downwardly in an abrupt but smoothincline from the portion 11 to or substantially to the plane of thebottom surface of the depressed portion 5, and substantially verticalportions or flanges 13 at its opposite sides which are substantiallyflush with the latter outer edges of the rails 6. The surfaces of theflanges 13 at the end sections of the keeper plate are preferablyslightly curved where they join the surfaces of the adjacent portions 11and 12 so as to smoothly merge with or run into the latter surfaces, andthe lower edges of said flanges incline upwardly from the correspondingextreme ends of the plate until they respectively meet and merge withthe outer edges of the rails 6 at points which, lengthwise of the plate3, are adjacent the corresponding openings 4. The end sections of thekeeper plate thus constructed are very strong and rigid and extremelyresistant to'forces tending to deform the same, even when the keeperplate is made of quite thin sheet metal. These sections also have smoothsurfaces which present no sharp edges or rough portions to cut orobstruct the fingers or thumbs as the latter are slid inwardly thereoverfrom the outer ends of the keeper plate in the operation of bending theend portions of fingers 2'down over the said plate into the channelprovided by the depressed portion 5 after the fingers 2 have been passedthrough the openings 4.

The plate 7 is preferably formed of a single piece of suitable sheetmetal and pressed to the form shown and just described. In the operationof pressing the keeper plate to form, the lateral edge portions of theplate corresponding to the depressed portion 5 are drawn inwardly andthe plate is thereby provided at the opposite sides of its end sectionswith portions which if unsubjected to any forming operation would flareto the respective adjacent ends of the plate, but which are formed bypressure into the substantially vertical side flanges 13. The length ofthe flanges 13 and accordingly the points at which their inner endsterminate in respect to the openings 4, may be regulated, within limits,by making thedepressed portion 5 in the keeper plate of proper lengthwith its end walls 10 located i a suitable distance outwardly beyond therespective adjacent openings 4. In the keeper plate shown in Figure l,the depressed portion 5 is made of such length that the end walls 10 arelocated only a short distance from the respective openings 4.Accordingly in the case of the plate shown in this figure, the sideflanges 13 of the end sections are of such length that they terminate attheir inner ends and merge with the side edges of rails 6 at pointswhich are located a short distance inwardly of the respective openings4. With this construction, the inner ends of the flanges 13 constitutestops for the slidable locking members 7 and prevent such members beingmoved outwardly on the keeper plate to positions in which they extendover or partly over the respective adjacent openings 4. In theconstruction shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, however, the depressed portion5 is made longer with the end walls 10 at a somewhat greater distancefrom the outer edges of the respective openings 4. Therefore in thiscase the inner ends of the flanges 13 terminate a short distanceoutwardly from the inner edges of the respective adjacent openings 4.The stops for the members 7, when the keeper plate is of theconstruction last described, may be projections 14 struck from orotherwise provided on the rails 6 at points located a slight distanceinwardly from the inner edges of the respective adjacent openings 4.

It is to be understood that the specific constructions shown anddescribed herein are merely illustrative, and that the same are subjectto many modifications without departure from the spirit of my inventionor the scope of the appended claims:

Having now fully described my invention, I

claim:

1. A keeper for a paper fastener comprising a substantiallyrectangularplate having horizontal lateral edge portions located in the same plane,a longitudinally extending depressed portion disposed between saidlateral edge portions and terminating short of the ends of the plate,and end sections each comprising an inner portion joined to the adjacentend wall of the depressed portion and to said lateral edge portions anddisposed in the same plane as the latter and an outer portion incliningabruptly downwardly from said inner portion substantially to the planeof said depressed portion.

2. A keeper for a paper fastener comprising an elongated plate of sheetmetal having horizontal parallel edge portions, a longitudinallyextending depressed portion located between said edge portions andterminating short of the ends of the plate, and end sections eachcomprising an inner portion disposed substantially at the level of saidedge portions and connecting the same, an outer portion smoothly joiningsaid inner portion and abruptly decreasing in height from the lattertowards the end of the plate, and substantially ver-- tical portions atits opposite lateral edges.

3. A keeper for a paper fastener comprising'a substantially rectangularintegral thin metal plate having horizontal lateral edge portions in acommon plane, a longitudinal depressed portion disposed between saidedge portions and terminating short of the ends of the plate, and endsections each comprising an inner portion connecting and located intheplane of said edge portions, an outer portion inclining abruptlydownwardly from said inner portion and vertically extending oppositeside portions which are respectively substantially flush with the. outeredges of the said horizontal lateral edge portions.

4. A keeper for a paper'fastener comprising a substantially rectangularintegral thin metal plate having horizontal'lateral edge portions in acommon plane, a longitudinal depressed portion tions, an outer portioninclining abruptly down wardly from said innerportion, and verticallyex-' tending opposite side portions the lower edges of whichrespectively incline upwardly from the corresponding end of the plate tomeet the said horizontal lateral edge portions at points locatedadjacent the corresponding opening in said depressed portion.

5. A keeper for a paper fastener comprising a substantially rectangularintegral thin metal plate having horizontal lateral edge portions in acommon plane, a longitudinal depressed portion between said edgeportions terminating short of the ends of the plate and providedadjacent its ends with openings for the reception of the fingers of afastener clamping device,'and end sections each comprisin an innerportion connecting and located in the planeof said edge portions, anouter portion inclining abruptly downwardly from said inner portion, andvertically extending opposite side portions the lower edges of whichrespectively incline upwardly from the corresponding end of the plate tomeet the said horizontal lateral edge portions at points locatedadjacent but inwardly of the correspondingopening in said depressedportion.

6. A keeper for a paper fastener comprising a .substantially rectangularintegral thin metal plate having horizontal lateral edge portions in acommon plane, a longitudinal depressed portion between said edgeportions terminating short of the ends of the plate and providedadjacent its ends with openings for the reception of the fingers of afastener clamping device, and end sec tions each comprising aninnerportion connect ing and located in the plane of said edge portions,an outerportion inclining abruptly downwardly from said inner portion,and vertically extendhaving horizontal lateral edge portions in a commonplane, an intermediate longitudinaldepressed portion terminating shortof the ends of the plate and provided adjacent its ends with openingsfor the reception of the fingers of a fastener clamping device, and endsections having spaced substantially verticalreinforcing portionsextending lengthwise of the plate, andlocking members slidably mountedon said lateral edge portions, the said reinforcing portions of theopposite end sections of the plate constituting stops for limitingoutward =movement of said locking members. V I f 8. A keeper for a paperfastener comprising 'a substantially rectangular integralthin metalplate having horizontal, lateraledge portions in a common-plane, anintermediate longitudinal depressed portion terminating short of theends of the plate and provided adjacentits ends with openings for thereception of the fingers of a fastener clamping device, and end sectionshaving spaced substantially vertical reenforcing portions extendinglengthwise of the plate, and lockopposite end sections of the platerespectively terminating at their inner endsinwardly of the ,openingsinsaid depressed portion and consti'- tutingstops, for limiting outwardsaid locking member. 9. A keeper for a paper fastener comprisingmovement of a substantially rectangular integral thin metal plate havinghorizontal lateral edge portions in a common plane, an intermediatelongitudinal depressed portion terminating short of the ends of theplate and provided adjacent its ends with openings for the reception ofthe fingers of a fastener clamping device, and end sections hav ingspaced substantially vertical reinforcing por-' "tions extending egthwise ofthe'plate, locking 1'10 "portions, the said reenforcingportions of. the

members slidably mounted onsaid' lateral edge opposite end sections ofthe plate terminating short of the inner edges .of, therespective'openings in said depressed portion, and, stops for saidlocking members provided on said horizontal lateral edgeportionsadjac'entbut inwardly of the said, openings.

, -10. A keeper for a paper fastener comprising asubstantiallyrectangular integral thin metal plate having horizontallateral, edgeportions in depressed portion terminating short of theendsof the plate and provided adjacent its ends with openings for thereception of the fingersof a fastener clamping device, and end sectionshaving spaced substantially vertical reenr'orcing portionsextendinglengthwise of i the plateand looking members slidably mounted onsaidlateral edge portions,-t he said reenforcing-portions of the oppositeend sections of the plate terminatopenings-in said depressed portion,said horizontal lateral'edge portions having projections ,locatedadjacent but inwardly of said openings and constituting stops forlimiting the outward movement of said locking members.

FREDERICK C. 'I-IOUWEN.

a common plane, an intermediate longitudinal

